Boiler cleaner



Jan. 12, 1932. w p THOMAS 1,840,545

BOILER CLEANER Original Filed July 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTO RN E S Jan. 12, 1932.

w. P, THOMAS ,84

BOILER CLEANER Original Filed July 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR lfi WWWW ATTO RN EYS Original application filed Ju1y2, L923, Serial No. 649,140. Divided and this application- 1930. Serial No. 471,888.

Patented 12, 1932' UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE WILLIS P. THOKLS, OI DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO DIAMOND POWER SFEGIALT'Y CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN BOILER CLEANER This invention relates to boiler cleaners and has particular reference to a boiler cleaner of the character in which a blower element is adapted to discharge cleaning fluid adjacent portions of the boiler to be cleaned.

The invention relates also to a device for loosening slag deposits from the parts of boilers.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a blower element which may be utilized in the hottest parts of the boiler without being burnedup and to thus provide a blower element which will not require frequent renewal.

The invention contemplates in particular the provision of. a blower element and means associated with this blower element for cooling the same.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide means for effecting a sudden cooling and contraction ofslag deposits upon the tubes or other parts of a boiler this contraction having the eflect of loosening the slag completely from the boiler parts or effecting a sufficient loosening'to permit a subsequent ready removal thereof.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 649,140, filed July 2, 1923.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds, particularly when reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a boiler showing a boiler cleaner constructed in accordance with the teachings of this-invention associated with the same;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; c

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure '4 is a sectional view taken substantlally on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring then particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout all views, the numerali) designates a boiler having the fire box 10, bafile 11 and the wall 12. The boiler may be of any desired construcfiled July 80,

tion, the present invention being more particularly directed to a construction for cleaning parts of the boiler such, for example, 'as the boiler tubes 13.

Mounted on certain of the boiler tubes such, for example as those designated by the reference character 13, are flattened pipes 14 which constitute blower elements. As clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, each blower element preferably comprises a tubular member having a lower wall 15 which is shaped to conform to the curvature of and WhlCll seats on one of the boiler tubes 13. Thus one side of the fluid passage formed by the blower element is defined by a side of the boiler tube with which the blower element is associated, the blower element seating on the tube and embracing a portion of the same.'

Each pipe 14 may be of a width to project laterally somewhat beyond the portion of the boiler tube with which it is associated and a i i: I T? row of discharge openings 16 is formed in each of these pro ecting 'portions. Thus cleaning fluid or the like supplied to the blower element will be discharged adjacent the boiler tube or boiler part with which the blower element is associated and will thus effect a cleaning of the same.

The pipes 14 are supplied with cleaning fluids from a header 20 which has connections to corresponding ends of the pipes, each of said connections comprisin aligned nipples 21fixed respectively to the eader and tothe respective pipe and connected by a coupling 22. For supplyin fluids to the header 20 there may be provi ed a supply pipe 23 which passes through the boiler wall and which is connected to .the' valve controlled supply ipes 24 and 25 respectively. One of these atter su ply pipes maybe connected to a source 0 water or like liquid supply while the other supply pipe may be connected to a source of cleaning fluid such as steam, so that either steam or water may be supplied to the blower elements at the will of the operator. If desired, additional blower elements'26 may be provided for discharging additional jets pf cleaning fluid adjacent the boiler tubes and other parts of the boiler to be cleaned. Be-

- cause of the relative close proximity of the tubes 13" to the flames and hotgases in the firebox 10, accumulation of slag upon these tubes is relatively rapid. This accumulation, unless removed at proper intervals, will,

within a comparatively short period of time, completely block the space between adjacent tubes of the row, interfering with circulation of the gases and subjecting the tubes to a continuous high temperature which is detrimental.

Under the teachings of this invention, fluid such as water discharging from the pipes 14 is adapted to flow down the sides of tubes 13 to the under surfaces of these tubes, exercising a cooling effect upon any slag deposits that may adhere to these surfaces. Thus, in use, water may be admitted at predetermined intervals to the header 20 by way of pipe 24, the water flowing from the header 20 t0 the pipe 14. and discharging from the latter through the openings 16. The sudden cooling and resultant contraction of any slag deposits upon the tubes 13 resulting from this flow of water loosens these deposits to such an extent that they will either drop from the tubes or may be readily blown from the tubes by a subsequent discharge of steam. This subsequent discharge may be effected either by supplying steam to the pipes 14 after cutting off the water supply thereto or may result from an operation of the blower.

elements 26.

From the above it will be apparent that the invention provides blower elements which are arranged in juxtaposition to the parts of the boiler to be cleaned. Each blower element is provided with a side defined by a side of the boiler part with which it is associated and this side of the blower element constitutes a wall which seats on and is thus in thermal contact with the boiler part. Thus heat will beconducted away from the blower elements through the boiler tubes or boiler parts with which the blower elements are associated so that the blower elements may be arranged in the hottest parts of the boiler without danger of their being burned.

. It will further be apparent that the invention provides a device by which a cooling fluid such as water may be flowed over the surfaces of the tubes 13 upon which the slag collects. Thus the slag will be-loosened to SIlCh an extent that it may be readily removed from the tubes While one form of the inventive idea has been described with considerable detail, it is to be clearly understood that thglescription is for the purposes of illustration only and is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is rese'rved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attached claims.

What I- claim as my invention is:

1. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a relatively cool boiler part, of a blower element having discharge openings arranged to discharge cleaning fluid adjacent parts of the boiler to be cleaned to dislodge deposits therefrom, said blower element being arranged in juxtaposition to said boiler part and having a wall engaging a substantial portion of the same suflicient to rovide for cooling of said element by said boiler art. r

p 2. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a relatively cool boiler part, of a blower element having discharge openings arranged to discharge cleaning fluid adjacent parts of the boiler to be cleaned to dislodge deposits from the same, and having a wall seating on and having suflicient thermal contact with said boiler part to provide for cooling of said blower element by said boiler part.

3. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a boiler part, of means providing a cleaning fluid passage in juxtaposition to said boiler part, said means having sulficient thermal contact with said boiler part to be cooled thereby and being so constructed and positioned as to discharge cleaning fluid adjacent parts of the boiler to be cleaned to dislodge deposits from the same.

4. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a boiler part, of means providing a cleaning fluid passage partially surrounding and in heat exchange relation with respect to a portion of said boiler part, said means being so constructed and positioned as to discharge cleaning fluid adjacent the parts of the boiler to be cleaned to dislodge deposits from the same.

5. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a boiler part, of means providing a cleaning fluid passage in heat exchange relation with respect to said boiler part and having side portions in juxtaposition to said boiler part, said boiler part being provided with a portion projecting to a position between the said side ortions of said passage.

6. In .a boiler c eaner, the combination with a boiler tube, of means providing a blower element in heat exchange relation with respect' to and partially surrounding a portion of said boiler tube, said blower element being so constructed and positioned as to discharge cleaning fluid ad acent arts of the boiler. to be cleaned to dislo ge deposits from the same.

7 In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a boiler tube,.of means providing a A blower element in juxtaposition to said boil- 9. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a boiler tube, of means providing a blower element adjacent said boiler tube,

said blower element having discharge openings arranged to discharge cleaning fluid adjacent parts of the boiler to be cleaned to dislodge deposits from the same and having a wall seating on said boiler tube and in sufiicient thermal contact with the same to be cooled thereby.

10. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a boiler tube, of means providing a blower element parallel with and in heat exchange relation with respect to said boiler tube, said blower element having discharge openings arranged to discharge cleaning fluid adjacent parts of the boiler to be cleaned to dislodge deposits from the same and having a side concentric with said boiler tube.

11. in a boiler cleaner, the combination with a boiler tube, of means providing a blower element fixed parallel with and partiallysurrounding a portion of said boiler tube, said blower element being provided with discharge openings for directing jets of cleaning fluid adjacent portions of the boiler to be cleaned to dislodge deposits from the same and being arranged in heat exchange relation with respect to said boiler tube.

12. In a boiler cleaner, the combination aWlt-ll a boiler tube, of means providing a blower element fixed parallel with and partially surrounding a portion of said boiler tube, said blower element having discharge openings arranged to discharge cleaning fluid adjacent parts of the boiler to be cleanedto dislodge deposits from the same and having a wall engaging said boiler tube and in thermal contact with the same.

13. The combination with a boiler tube located with respect to the combustion chamber so as to be subjected to the accumulation of slag, of a water pipe arranged immediately above said tube and substantially parallel therewith and formed with a row of downward outlets for the discharge of water toward said tube.

14. The combination with a boiler tube located with respect to the combustion chamber so as to be subjected to the accumulation of slag, of a fluid pipe seating upon said tube and provided with a row of outlets opening downwardly adjacent the respective sides of said boiler tube, said pipe having downward outlets adjacent its side walls for dischargin respectively upon opposite sides of the boiler tube. j

16. The combination with a bank of boiler tubes close adjacent to the furnace, of a fluid conducting pipe associated with each of the tubesmfthe lower row of said bank, each of said pipes having anorifice arranged toflow a ilaag removing fluid around its respective tu r 17 The combination with a boiler part, of means providing a blower element adjacent said boiler part, said blower element being provided with discharge openings for directing a'fluid from said blower element adjacent'said boiler part, means for supplying water to said blower element, and means for supplying steam to said blower element.

18. The combination with a boiler tube located with respect to the combustion chamber so as to be subjected to the accumulation of slag, of means providing a blower element extending from a point outside of said boiler setting, said blower element being positioned parallel to and adjacent to said boiler tube and being provided with discharge openings for directing a fluid adjacent said tube, means for supplying a slag removing fluid to said blower element, and means for supplying a cleaning fluid to said blower element.

19. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a boiler tube, of means providing a blower element arranged longitudinally of said tube and having suflicient thermal contact with said tube to be cooled thereby, said blower element being so constructed and positioned as to discharge cleaning fluid adjacent parts of the boiler to be cleaned to dislodge deposits from the same.

20. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a boiler tube, of means including a wall providing a blower element extending longitudinally of said boiler tube, said wall having suflicient thermal .contact with said boiler tube throughout substantially its entire length to be cooled thereby, and said blower element being so constructed andpositioned as to discharge cleaning fluid adjacent parts of the boiler to be cleaned to dislodge deposits from the same.

21. The combination with a boiler tube, of a cleaner pipe extending adjacent said tube and formed with outlets for a discharge against said tube, and means for selectively admitting water or steam to said pipe.

22. The combination with a boiler part, and a steam blower for cleaning a predetermined portion of said part, of a pipe adjacent said part having outlets for the discharge of a slag removing liquid upon the portionof said part cleaned by said steam blower.

23. The combination with a boiler tube located with respect to the combustion-chamber so as to be subjected to the accumulation of slag, of a water pipe arranged above said tube and substantially parallel therewith and formed with a row of downward outlets for the discharge of water upon said tube, said outlets being so positioned and directed thatv a film of water is caused to cover the boiler tube for removing slag and the like from the boiler tube.

24. The combinationwitha boiler part located with respect to the combustion chamber so as to be subjected to the accumulation of slag, of a fluid conducting pipe extending from a point outside the boiler setting and having means within the boiler setting for discharging the fluid from the pipe toward the slag accumulation, means for controlling the supply of a cleaning fluid through said pipe, a source of slag removing fluid and means for controlling the supply of said slag removing fluid through said pipe.

25. The combination with a boiler part located with respect to the combustion chamber so as to be subjected to the accumulation of slag, of a steam and water conducting pipe extending from a point outside the boiler setting and having means within the boiler setting for discharging the respective fluids from the pipe toward the slag accumulation,

means for controlling the supply of steam through said pipe and means for controlling the supply of water through said pipe.

26. The combination with a boiler part.lo-'

cated with respect to the combustion chamber so as to be subjected to the accumulation of slag, of means for selectively covering the slag coated portion of said part with a film of water to effect a-contraction of the slag and discharging. steam into immediate said boiler tube. the surface of said passage disposed toward said tube being concentric with the tube, and means providing for the discharge of cleaning fluid from said passage adjacent the portions of the boiler to be cleaned to dislodge deposits therefrom.

' 29. In a boiler cleaner, the combination with a boiler tube, of means associated with and contiguous with said boiler tube providing a cleaning fluid. passageway located parallel with and adjacent to said boiler tube, said passageway having a curved side, the center of curvature of which coincides with the axis of the boiler tube, and means providing for the discharge of cleaning fluid from said passageway adjacent the portions of the boiler to be cleaned to dislodge deposits therefrom.

30. A fluid conducting tube and blower unit for a circulatory system consisting of means providin a pair of adjacent parallel passages in heat exchange relation with respect to each other, means providing for the connection of one of said passages to the circulatory system of a boiler, means for supplying a cleaning fluid to the other of said passages, the last mentioned passage being separated from the first mentioned passage by means including a wall concentric with the axis of the first mentioned passage, and

means providing for the discharge of cleaning fluid from the second mentioned passage adjacent portions of the boiler to be cleaned to dislodge deposits therefrom.

31. In a. boiler cleaner, the combination with a boiler tube, of means associated with and contiguouswith said boiler tube providing a cleaning fluid passage adjacent to, exteriorly of and parallel with said boiler tube, one .side of said cleaning'fluid passage conforming in shape to the shape of the adjacent side of the boiler tube, and means roviding for the discharge of cleaning uid from said cleaning fluid passage adjacent portions of the boiler to be cleaned to dislodge deposits therefrom.

32. A fluid conducting. tube and blower unit for a circulatory system consisting of means providing a pair of adjacent parallel passages in heat exchange relation with respect to each other, means providing for the connection of one of said passages to the circulatory system of a boiler, means for sup-- plyingcleaning fluid to the other of said passages, the last mentioned passage being disposed exteriorly of the first mentioned passage and the adjacent portions of said passages conforming in shape to each other, and means providing for the discharge of cleaning fluid from the second mentioned passage adjacent portions of the boiler-to be cleaned to dislodge deposits therefrom.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIS P. THOMAS. 

